Get Ready for the Q3 and Q4 SUPER Task Orders

Indefinite Delivery/Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) or Government-Wide Acquisition Contract (GWAC) contract holders can expect a roaring third and fourth quarter 2018, since many bids expected in the Q1 and Q2 were stalled in procurement. Exhibit 1 lists our pick of the Top IT Task Orders, Exhibit 2 lists our picks of Top Professional Services Task Orders for Q3 and Q4.

We define a Super Business Task Order as an individual task order awarded under the umbrella of an IDIQ or GWAC. We required that the IDIQ or GWAC have a selected pool of contractors, who compete on requests for task order proposals. We ensured all task orders had a distinct primary contract vehicle number and task order contract number, and that all task orders were unrestricted or set aside for small business.

To find the Super Task Orders, we looked for task orders with an ultimate expiration date of no later than December 30, 2018, whose primary requirement and NAICS code was for either information technology or professional services. We also looked for task orders, whose spending exceeded 75%.

Tracking down addition information about the task orders takes patience. In many cases the names of the contracts are different from the request for task order proposal names and Government and private procurement databases do not link the solicitation, contract, and task order numbers. Therefore, go the IDIQ’s/GWAC’s database or FPDS.gov look for similar agency or office names, titles, award dates, and contract types and amounts.

Jump start your capture process by getting a copy of the original Task Order Request for Proposal by retrieving it from the IDIQ or GWAC database and collect other documents useful documents available on government websites, such as strategic plans, organization charts, and agency reports. The bids listed in Exhibits 1 and 2 come from data collected in the Federal Procurement Data System (FPDS), which describes actions taken after the government awards task orders.

Some of the contracts listed in Exhibits 1 and 2 are at or near the end of their life cycles, so contracting officers may be using new contract vehicles to release task order requests for proposals. For example, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is using the Strategic Partners Acquisition Readiness (SPARC) Contract as the successor to ESD. CMS originally awarded ESD in September 2007 to 16 companies, while SPARC now provides a pool of more than 140 contractors. If CMS does not use SPARC, it may use the CIO-SP3 GWAC.

Although LOGCAP IV was due to expire, the Contracting Office released three (3) Justification and Approval Notices on April 3, 2018 to extend LOGCAP IV contracts and task orders for up to two additional years. LOGCAP V is currently in source selection and the extension will promote a smooth transition of LOGCAP task orders.

Winning Super Task Orders requires specific knowledge of the customer requirements and outstanding corporate resources and experience, and mature organizational processes, so they usually have fewer bidders. On average the IT task orders had 3.8 bidders and the professional service task orders had 5.2 bidders.

by Brenda Crist, MPA, CPP APMP Fellow

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Lohfeld Consulting Group has proven results specializing in helping companies create winning captures and proposals. As the premier capture and proposal services consulting firm focused exclusively on government markets, we provide expert assistance to government contractors in Go-to-Market Strategy, Capture Planning and Strategy, Proposal Management and Writing, Capture and Proposal Process and Infrastructure, and Training. In the last 3 years, we’ve supported over 550 proposals winning more than $135B for our clients—including the Top 10 government contractors. Lohfeld Consulting Group is your “go-to” capture and proposal source! Start winning by contacting us at www.lohfeldconsulting.com and join us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter.

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